people gathered in a marketplace

13.8% of the adult population are current smokers

There are approximately 430,167 current smokers in Congo

26.9% of men are current smokers but only 0.8% of women

Quick links to detailed datasheets for Congo
Country profile
Data sourced: 2022.   Page updated: 2023-10-10

Smoking in Congo

Current smoking prevalence trends in the general population in Congo shows one of the steepest increases amongst the WHO smoking prevalence trend data. Overall the prevalence was around 6% in 2000; this has risen to 24% in 2015 and is projected to increase further to around 49% by 2025. This increase has been driven almost entirely by men's smoking prevalence, which shows a dramatic increase from 10% in 2000 to 47% in 2015, with a further increase to 97% by 2025 if trends continue unabated. The women's current smoking prevalence trend remains low and flat, between 1.6% and 1.8%, between 2000 and the projection to 2025. The WHO published prevalence trend estimates in tobacco smoking, as shown here, in their 2018 2nd edition report, which show slightly different smoking prevalence to the WHO country profiles. Data for the estimates are not age standardised, and were obtained from WHO databases. The trend lines are projections, not predictions, of future attainment. A projection indicates a likely endpoint if the country maintains its tobacco control efforts at the same level that it has implemented them to date. Therefore the impact of recent interventions could alter the expected endpoint shown in the projection. While the methods of estimation used in the first and second editions of the WHO report are the same, the volume of data available for the second edition is larger i.e. 200 more national surveys. The results presented are therefore more robust.

1,498

Deaths

1498 people die every year due to tobacco smoking in Congo.

Nicotine Vaping Devices

in Congo

There is no specific law regarding e-cigarettes. If you have an update please e-mail the GSTHR team.

Heated Tobacco Products

in Congo

You can't advertise HTP in Congo.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy

in Congo

In Congo you don't need a prescription to purchase NRT.

The GSTHR database is updated regularly by our team. However, please be aware that the information we provide does not constitute legal advice. We cannot guarantee that the information is up to date or accurate, as the regulatory status of different product categories can change at short notice and with little publicity. If you wish to check the legal status of use or possession of any safer nicotine product in a specific country or region, you should verify the information independently. If you have reason to think that the information supplied on the GSTHR is inaccurate, please contact us with details and any references and we will rectify any errors.